Gearing.



,PATENTEDMAY 26, 1908. I

J. G. KELLY.

- GBARING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY '5, 1907.

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II- A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. KELLY, OF DURYEA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. May 26, 1908.

Application filed Jul 5, 1907. Serial No. 322,292.

" following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and, useful improvements in the design and construction of feeding devices of that type which are em loyed in connection with a rotary shaft an aims to provide a novel feeding nutwhich can be applied either to a rock drill, lathe, or other devices requiring a similar mechanism.

-The invention contemplates a feedingnut which is peculiarly designed so as to operate with a. minimum amount of friction and 'which carries novel means for cleaning the grooves upon theshaft and preventing dirt and grit from passing into the interior of the nut and interfering with the proper operation thereof." v

For a full description of the invention andthe merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the detailsrof construction and the means for efiecting the result, reference vention. m

is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through 'afeeding device embodying the in- 2 is a transverse sectional view on the e acx of Fig. 1. similar view on the line y-y of Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin descriptlon and indicated in all the views 0 the drawings by the same reference characters.

Specifically. describing the invention the numeral 1 designates the shaft which is designed'to be rotated by any suitable means such as the ear wheel 2 and which may carry a drill it or similar tool at one end thereof. A spiral rib 3 is formed. upon the exterior of the shaft 1 and the o posite sides of the said rib are inclinedas in lcated at 4. A second annular rib 5is located upon the first mentioned-rib 3 and is provided u on diametrically opposite sides with the eyways 6'loosely receivin' the keys by means ofwhich the ear whee 2 is secured to-the shaft. It w' the shaft and wheel 2 are caused to rotate together the said. shaft is permitted to slide ongitudinally with respect to the wheel. A

Fig. 3 is a thus be apparent that while nut 7 fits over the shaft 1 and is provided upon its interior with a spiral groove 8 corresponding to the groove between the spiral Ill) 3 and havin the op osite sides thereof inclined outward y as in icated at 9. Bearing members such as the balls 10 are interposed between the nut 7 and 'the shaft and are received within the s iral groove 8 of the nut and the correspon ing groove formed upon the shaft between the s iral rib 3.

. Extending longitudinally t rough the nut 7 and disposed approximatelyparallel to the shaft 1 is a ball return-wa 11 the end portions of which are exten ed inwardly andcommunicate with opposite ends of the s'piral groove 8.whereby as the shaft and nut are rotated relatively to .each other the balls 10 are picked up at one end of the groove 8 and after passing through the return-way 11 are delivered at the opposite end of the spiral groove 8. A pick up 12 is carried by the nut. 7 at each end of the return-way 11 and may be in the nature of a flap rojectingginto the .groove upon the shaft. hese pic ups 12 orm a guide for causin the balls to ass into the return-way 11 as t e nut and s aft are rotated relatively to. each other. -It will also be observed that a brush 13 is carried byeach end.of the nut and projects within the groove upon the shaft 1 in advance of the ick u 12 so as to remove all dirt or grit rom t eshaft which would interfere with the free operation of the rollers. This nut .7 for convenience in manufacture may be formed in two longitudinal sections 7 a and 7 b which are held rigidly together by means of a sleeve 14 threaded upon their exterior. The nut 7 carries an annular enlargement which in the resent instance is formed in connection wit the sleeve 14 and is provided upon each side with an outer inclined shoulder 15 and an inner inclined shoulder 16. A collar 17 surrounds the sleeve 14 and is formed in two sections which are threaded together as indicated at 18. The interior of the collar 17 is formed with an annular depression corres onding to the before mentionedannular enfargement upon the nut and upon each side of the depression there is formed an outer inclined shoulder 19 and an inner inclined shoulder 20 corresponding respectively to the before mentioned inclined shoulders 15 and 16"upon the nut. A plurality of rings of balls or similar bearin s 21 is interposed between the nut'and t e collar and from an inspection of the drawing.

sleeve 14 and is housed within the co readily rotated and reversed.

able means. such as t -force the ba that the shaft 1 carries an inner spiral rib for ."engagi'ng the bearings 10 and an outer spiral is claimed as new is:

bear against the various inclined shoulders in a manner which will be readily apparent For the purpose of retarding the rotation of the nut a friction band 22 is carried by the collar 17 and encircles the nut. In the present, instance this friction band enga es the Ilar 17, the ends of the band being extended outwardly through the collar 17 and connected by a clamping member 23. Trunnions 24 pro'ect from opposite sides of the collar 17 an are designe to be journaled in any suitable support to admit of the sleeve being- In the operation of the feeding device the shaft 1 is continuousl rotated by any suitlie gear wheel 2 keyed upon the outer spiral rib 5 of the shaft and the collar 17 is mounted upon any suitable support. When the friction band 22 is loose the nut 7 is permitted to revolve freel within the collar 17 and the shaft is not ed-forwardly. to any appreciable extent. How ever as the friction band is tightened the movement of the nut 7 is retarded and the shaft 1 is fed forwardlyat a rate corresponding to the amount by which the said nut is retarded, the most rapid feed being attained when the nut is rigid with the collar. When the shaft 1 has been fed through the feeding nut for its entire length the entire device may be rotated upon the trunnions 24 and the osition thereof reversed, thereby eliminating the necessity for moving the shaft rearwardly by rotating it in a reverse direction. Attention is also directed to the fact that the grooves upon both the shaft and nut have inclined shoulders u on opposite sides thereof which engage the libarings 10, since this construction reduces the friction to a minimum and any thrust upon the shaft acts through the inclined lanes and has a tendency to s outwardly and split the nut instead of to strip the thread as in the ordinary construction. It may'also beobserved 11b 5 upon the inner spiral rib and serving as a means for attaching the drive wheel to the shaft. Under some cp'nditions it may be found desirable to provide a duct 25 in the nut 7 ,the said duct communicating with the spiral groove 8 and serving as an outlet for t e discharge of any dirt which might accumulate within the groove. The said nut is also shown as formed with an oil passage 26 by means of which the bearings 10' upon the interior of the nut may be readily provided with a lubricant.

Having thus described the invention, what 1. Ina device of the character described, the combination of a shaft having a spiral rib thereon th'eopposite sides of which are inclined, a nut fitting over theshaft and provided with a spiral groove the opposite sides of which are lnclined, and balls interposed between the nutand shaft, the said nut being formed with a returnway through which the balls are designed to pass from one end of the spiral groove to the opposite end.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a shaft, a spiral rib upon the shaft, a second spiral rib upon the first mentioned rib, a nut fitting over the shaft and provided upon its interior with a spiral groove, balls interposed between the nut and shaft and engaging the spiral groove of the nut and the first mentioned rib upon the shaft, the said nut being formed with a return-way through which the balls are designed to pass from one end of the groove to the opposite end, and means 006 erating with the second mentioned spiral for rotating the shaft.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a shaft, a spiral rib upon the shaft having opposite sides thereof inclined, a second spiral rib upon the first mentioned spiral rib, a nut fitting over the shaft and provided with a spiral groove having opposite sides thereof inclined, balls interposed etween the shaft and nut'andengaging the saidspiral groove and first mentioned spiral rib, the said nut being formed with a returnway through which the balls are designed to pass from one end of the groove to the opposite end, and means cooperating with the sslcgnd mentioned spiral I'lb for rotating the s a t.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a shaft, a spiral rib upon the shaft, -a nut fittin provided with a-spira .groove, balls interposed between the nut and shaft, the said nut being formed with a returnway through which the balls are designed to ass from one end of the groove to the opposlte end, and a brush carried by the nut and extending between the convolutions of the spiral rib upon the shaft 5. 'In a device of the character described, the combination of a shaft, a spiral rib upon the shaft, a nut d'esignedto receive the shaft and formed with a spiral groove and alsowith a return-way communicating with opposite ends of the spiral groove, balls interposed between the nut and shaft, pick ups carried by the nut for guiding the balls from the groove into the returnway, and a brush carried by the nut and projecting between the convolutions of the rib upon the shaft.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a shaft, a feeding nut mounted upon the shaft, a collar for the feed.- ing nut, and a friction band carried by-the collar and designed to engage the feeding nut.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a shaft, -a feeding nut over the shaft and mounted upon the shaft and provided with an annular enlargement having an inclined shoulder upon each side thereof, a collar inclosin the feeding nut and provided upon opposite sides with corresponding inclined s oulders, bearings interposed between the collar and nut and engaging the inclined shoulders, and a retarding device carried by the collar for enga ing the nut.

8. In a device 0% the character described, the combination of a shaft, a feeding nut mounted upon the shaft and provided with an annular enlargement having a pluralityof inclined shoulders u on each side thereof, a

collar surrounding t e nut and formed with an annular depression having a plurality of corresponding inclined shoulders, and a fric tion band carried by the collar and designed to engage the nut, the said friction band being housed Within the nut.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a shaft, a spiral rib upon the shaft, anut designed to receive the shaft and formed with a spiral groove, the said nut also being provided with a return-way cornmunicating with opposite ends of the spiral groove, bearings interposed between the nut and shaft and designed to pass through the return-way from one end of the groove to the opposite end, a collar surrounding the nut,

and retarding means carried by the collar and designed to engage'the nut. 10. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a shaft, a spiral rib u on the shaft, a second spiral rib upon the rst mentioned spiral rib, a nut ,fittlng over the shaft and formed with an annular groove and also provided with a return-way communicating with opposite ends of the. roove, balls in- 11.. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a shaft, a spiral rib upon the shaft, a nut fitting over the shaft and formed in two sections, a sleeve holding the sections of the 'nut together, the said nutbeing provided with an annular groove and also being formed 'with-a return way cornmunicatin I with opposite ends of the groove, and balls nterposed between the shaft and nut and desi ned to pass through the returnway from one end of the groove to the opposite end.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. KELLY. Witnesses:

H. S. HILL, W. N. WOODSON.

LL. s.] 

